What are your New Year’s resolutions for 2022? I’ll tell you a secret: every year, one of my New Year’s resolutions is always to felt more! Well, maybe not directly, but I usually find myself resolving to be more mindful, take more downtime, and enjoy my friends and community. And all those things circle back to the fiber arts.
Whether you’re new to needle felting or want to refine your craft, I invite you to join me in a shared New Year’s resolution: let’s felt more projects and more often!
Did you know that New Year’s resolutions date back to Ancient Rome? January is named for the two-faced god Janus, who represented both the past and the future. The Romans would celebrate the New Year by honoring Janus and promising to improve themselves in the upcoming year.
More than 2,000 years later, we’re still making those promises, even in a modern society! I like the idea of acknowledging the past as we look to the future. It’s always fun to reflect on past projects and build upon them. Some of my oldest felted creations are still my favorites! However, I’m also eager to grow even more as a fiber artist in 2022.
As I’ve often said, there’s nothing like needle felting for a wonderful combination of relaxation and creativity. It actually becomes a sort of meditative practice for me. Crafting in general is ideal for cultivating mindfulness … focusing on the moment, letting worries fall away. That’s more important than ever in these difficult times.
They say that New Year’s resolutions are often hard to keep because we don’t clearly define our goals or why we want them. I invite you to make needle felting part of your resolution to engage in self-care — something that’s so deeply valuable in our hustle-and-bustle society.
Needle felting is perfect for this because it’s slow and steady, which can help you enter that wonderful flow state. I like to create a nice space, with relaxing music, good light, and perhaps a fragrant candle. In the fall or during the holiday season, it’s especially nice to snuggle up in a sweater. Then, I shut out all distractions. From there, I simply start felting. I find that when I set my intentions to have a lovely needle felting session, I enjoy a deeper sense of mindfulness and creativity.
Even if you don’t consider yourself “creative,” you can benefit from a crafting hobby! It’s not only a way to relax but also to build your mindfulness — which is crucial to your mental health. As I’ve written before, I was always a bit of a crafty person, but I didn’t know I had any talent until I find wool and fell in love with the fiber arts, and now, I can’t imagine life without them. Needle felting is especially accessible to beginners because it’s easy and inexpensive.
So, whether you’re looking for a new hobby or want to expand your needle felting skills, I hope you’ll join me in resolving to “regularly set aside self-care time with needle felting!”
I’m excited to announce that we have new kits coming out this year. Join my Needle Felting Academy for lessons and guidance, as well as discounts on select kits. If you’d like to try out your own designs, read my blog on finding inspiration for your needle felting projects. (You may find that you need more than the standard wool that you find in stores. Check out this sampler kit to explore new types of fiber!)
We sell everything you need to get started in the Bear Creek Felting shop. Here’s a basic checklist to start your New Year of new felting projects:
- A selection of wool
- A felting cushion
- Felting needles
You can get everything you need to start in this Beginner’s Felting Kit.
I also recommend:
- A felted animal kit (like this friendly little duckling)
- A felted pouch kit (Here’s an adorable gnome-themed one!)
If you’d like to get all your wool, needles, and kits in one package, I’ve assembled this Beginner Needle Felting Gift Bundle, which contains a felting cushion, needles, and three of my easiest kits. It’s the perfect gift for yourself this New Year’s!
I’m truly eager to see what the New Year brings and how I can grow even more as a fiber artist. I hope the same for you! Please do follow me on social media and tag me with photos of your creations. I’d love to see them.
Learn to Needle Felt the Easy Way!
Join the Bear Creek Needle Felting Academy today!
I ordered a beginner’s needle felting kit as my daughter-in-law’s 2021 holiday gift.
She was thrilled to spend a day learning to needle felt. She sent photos to her friends, and they are all now scheduled to learn needle felting from her! The best way to learn is to teach others, and she is on her way. The beginner’s kit was a great gift for a budding crafts person…..